Jesus said that His followers would be recognized by their love for all humanity:
However, there are often times where someone identifies as a Christian (a follower of Jesus the Christ) but does not recognizably seem to love all people. So my question is: would it be fair to say that such people are not followers of Christ?
The only other option that I can see is that Jesus and the Bible was wrong. So, which is it? Is the Bible wrong, or are self-identified "Christians" who can't be recognized by their love for all humanity not actually followers of Jesus the Christ?
Does someone need to be perfect about following all of Christ's commandments (all two of them) and other Biblical rules in order to actually be a Christian?
A Christian is somebody that has a personal relationship with God the Father, through Jesus the Son. A "follower of Christ" is a disciple of Christ in that we follow in His footsteps, trying to live a life that exemplifies who He is. It is a very difficult thing, this "following", and as others have said before me, sometimes our human nature gets in the way, but more than that, because of other forces that have a sole goal of destroying God's plan. The best way to destroy God's plan is to cause those who serve Him to fall, because in this act, Christians bear a false witness of the Heavenly Father's love for mankind, and His desire to save us all. This is what keeps others from accepting the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ.
In this temporary existence can sometimes exist circumstances that make it easier to fall toward a fleshly response. Even more so, the recognition that we are not battling against our own flesh and blood, but instead against rulers of darkness and spiritual forces that attempt to interrupt God's plan for humanity on both an individual level and a global level.
In short, we are strangers in this land. We are alienated from societies that do not accept Christ, and these are growing, while the faithful are diminishing. Much of this is due to power struggles within our own. We fight. We gossip. We backbite. We sneak, peek, battle, tear down, destroy, and this is because we forget who we are, and who we are actually battling. We make one another our worst enemy when in fact we should be embracing one another and standing together against the forces that are attempting to tear us down. Why do we do this? To lift ourselves up. Where does this come from? It comes from the first being to sin against God... the one who felt he could be as great as God, and who, after his fall, has continued to lure humans into believing the same.
This, I believe, is why Jesus commanded us to love one another. He knew what was coming for us. He knew that love, charity, forgiveness, and compassion would aide in healing.
When we fall for the allure of "greatness", we are become like the man who lived at the bottom of the well. He stood on top of the shoulders of others who lived there with him. They supported him, held him up, and cared for him, but all he could see was that he was the one closest to the sky.
It is often Christians who need the most reminders of His words. These scriptures might help to explain, better than I ever could:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me." John 15:18-21
Often times Christians get wrapped up in who is the greater Christian among us. Who is better? Who is closer to God? Who should be asked to step down? Who should be asked to depart? Who should be pointed out as the one lacking humility and compassion?
In Luke 22:25-27 and Matthew 20:25-28 the Lord Jesus taught us about what exemplifes true greatness and it is through His example that we can bring ourselves back to the reality that exists in being a "follower" of Christ.
In short: To follow Christ means to admit being less than Him and requiring His compassion, forgiveness, and bloodshed, in order to be lifted out of the darkness in this world.
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:25-28
